Nail-receiving metal wall-forming member for freight-transporting vehicles



May 20, 1969 A. SANTHO 3,444,661

NAIL-RECEIVING METAL WALL-FORMING MEMBER FOR FREIGHT'TRANSPORTING VEHICLES Sheet I of 2 Filed 001.. 6, 1967 I NVENTOR.

ALBERT SANTHO BY MAHONEY, MI ER a RAMBO BYW A IORNEYS y 0, 1969 A. SANTHO 3,444,661

NAIL-RECEIVING METAL WALL-FORMING MEMBER FOR FREIGHT-TRANSPORTING VEHICLES Filed Oct. 6, 1967 Sheet 2 of 2 !7b I6b BY W . A TORNEYS United States Patent NAIL-RECEIVING METAL WALL-FORMING MEMBER FOR FREIGHT-TRANSPORTING VEHICLES Albert Santho, 1920 Brandywine Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43221 Filed Oct. 6, 1967, Ser. No. 673,325 Int. Cl. E04h 1/56' U.S. Cl. 52-376 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A metal wall-forming member in the form of a relatively shallow, inverted channel defining an elongated, outer, load-bearing panel formed along each side thereof with integral, generally perpendicular and coextensive side webs terminating in inturned anchoring flanges, and wherein each of the side webs is formed in its intermediate region with a longitudinally extending, concave corrugation. The side webs, upon assembly of a plurality of such members in parallel, side by side relation, providing between them a frictional nail-receiving and holding slot having an intermediate, relatively enlarged chamber or passage portion into which may be axially inserted an elongated injection tube or nozzle for filling the nailing slot with a mastic or plastic filler material.

This invention relates generally to nailable, metallic decking or wall-forming structures, and more particularly to an improved, nailable, metallic panel construction used in forming the floor or walls of a freight-transporting vehicle.

It is common practice to construct railway cars or other vehicles designed for multipurpose freight conveyance with nailable metallic floor and/or wall structures. Utilization of nailable metallic surfacing structures obviates damage to and/or destruction of the surface as a consequence of securing freight blocking and shoring members in position by nails or spikes. Nailable floor structures, in accordance with the known prior art, comprise a plurality of elongated, inverted channel members assembled in parallel, side by side relationship to provide elongated nailing slots between adjacent channel members. The sides of such members are usually shaped so as to define a serpentine or reversely curved nailing slot and are arranged to bend and thereby clinch nails driven into the nailing slot. Typical examples of these prior art metal floor structures are shown in US. Patents Nos. 2,667,243, 2,852,112, 2,900,055, 2,907,417, 2,955,687, 3,216,165 and others. While these prior art structures provide satisfactory means for clinching and holding nails driven into the curved nailing slots, at the same time, they make it extremely difiicult to remove nails therefrom when it is desired to unblock freight, etc. Also, the curved configuration of the nailing slots often results in breaking of the nails due to sharp, reverse bending thereof. Furthermore, the interfitting configuration of the sides of the panels complicates removal and replacement of any one panel that may become damaged without disassembly of at least several adjacent panels. Further, clue to the different curvature and configuration of the opposite sides of each panel, they are comparatively more complicated and costly to manufacture and install.

Utilization of nailable metallic floor and wall surface structures for transport of granular materials, such as grains, requires that the nailing slots be filled with a suitable mastic filler material to prevent entrapment of the granular materials in the slots. In these prior art structures, mastic material must be caulked or otherwise apice plied into the open sides of the nailing slots following assembly of the several panels into a surface-forming structure. This makes the filling of the slots more difficult and, as a consequence of the serpentine cross-sectional configuration of the prior art nailing slots, often prevents uniform filling of the slot.

It is therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide an improved, nailable, metallic floor or wallforming member of comparatively simplified construction which, when assembled in adjacent parallel relation to an identically formed member provides a substantially straight, frictional nailing slot having an enlarged intermediate space or chamber into which an injection probe or the like may be axially inserted to fill the nailing slot with a plastic or mastic filler material.

It is another important object of this invention to provide a nailable, metallic floor or wall-forming member of this character which lends itself to economical production through relatively simple metal rolling operations, and which, at the same time, provides excellent nail-holding qualities.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a nailable metallic floor or wall-forming structure which comprises a plurality of elongated panel members that are of a configuration permitting independent removal and replacement of individual members.

In general, the present invention comprises a metallic floor or wall-forming member in the form of an elongated, relatively shallow, inverted channel of integral one-piece construction which is formed to include an outer, generally flat, longitudinally extending panel portion, and side webs extending generally perpendicular to the panel portion along each side edge thereof and terminating in inwardly turned, relatively short, anchoring flanges disposed generally parallel to the panel portion. Each of the side webs is formed in its central region with a longitudinally extending, inwardly concave corrugation which defines on the side web a pair of relatively spaced apart, longitudinally coextensive nail-gripping surfaces separated by a longitudinally coextensive channel or recess. Thus, when a plurality of the floor or wall-forming members are assemblied in parallel, side by side relation on stringers or other suitable support members, the side Webs of adjacent members define between their respective panel portion an outwardly opening nailing slot having relatively spaced, frictional nail-gripping surfaces separated by a longitudinally continuous channel or passage into which may be axially inserted an injection probe or nozzle device from which a mastic or plastic filler material may be ejected to fill the nailing slot.

Various additional objects and advantages of this invention will -be readily apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings,

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a floor structure for a railway car and constructed from flo0rforming members embodying the principles of this invention, and diagrammatically illustrating apparatus useful for injecting a filler material into the nailing slots.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged vertical sectional view of two juxtaposed members diagrammatically illustrating the insertion of a nail into the nailing slot formed between such member.

Having reference to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a floor structure formed in accordance with this invention' This floor structure comprises a plurality of elongated, relatively shallow, inverted channel members assembled in side by side, parallel relationship. Supporting the several channels 10 in planar relationship are at least two elongated beams, joists or stringers 11 of the I-beam type (only one being shown) which are relatively spaced apart and extend transversely to the channels and form a part of the structural framework of a railway freight car. The channels 10 are supported on and rigidly secured, as by welding, to an uppermost flange 12 of the joists 11. While specific reference is made to incorporation of the channels in a railway car floor structure, it will be understood that the channels may be incorporated in other types of freight-transporting vehicles and may be utilized in formation of vertical wall surfaces, as well as floor surfaces. The sides of adjacent channel members 10 are spaced slightly apart to form longitudinally extending nailing slots 13, and, preferably, these slots are completely filled with a suitable mastic or plastic filler material 14 that is readily penetrable by nails driven into the slots 13.

Each channel 10 comprises an outer surface-forming panel 15 and a pair of side webs 16 and 17 formed integral with the panel along the longitudinal side edges thereof. The webs 16 and 17 project generally perpendicularly from the panel 15 and terminate in inwardly turned anchoring flanges 18 and 19. These flanges 18 and 19 are disposed orthogonally with respect to the side webs 16 and 17 and rest on the upper flanges 12 of the beams 11 and are rigidly secured thereto as by welding.

Each of the side webs 16 and 17 of the channel members 10 is formed in its intermediate central region with a longitudinally extending, inwardly concave corrugation or rib 20. The ribs 20 define on the respective side webs 16 and 17 longitudinally extending, outwardly opening, arcuate grooves or recesses 20a and 20b. As best seen in FIG- URE 4, the opposed recesses 20a and 20b of each adjacent pair of channel members are complementary and define in the intermediate portion of the nailing slot 13 a relatively enlarged, longitudinally coextensive and generally cylindrical chamber or passage 22. The passages 22 are designed to coaxially receive an elongated discharge nozzle or tube T of a power-operated injection device D, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Proper spacing of adjacently positioned channel members 10 during assembly of the floor structure is facilitated by sets of spacing bosses 23 and 24 which are formed integrally with the side webs 17 at longitudinally spaced intervals therealong.

These spacing bosses 23 and 24 comprise struck-out portions of the web 17 which project slightly laterally outwardly for abutting engagement with the side web 16 of an adjacent channel member above and below the passage 22. As will be understood, the bosses 23 and 24 serve to initially locate and properly space the adjacent channel members 10 during welding thereof to the support members 11, and thereby determine the width of the nailing slots 13.

the diameter of the shank portion N1 of the nail, it will be seen that the operation of driving the nail into the slot 13 will result in a slight, localized resilient expansion of the upper portion of the nailing slot and/or a slight swaging or flattening of the shank portion of the nail. In either or both events, the shank portion of the nail will be tightly and frictionally gripped by the opposed portions 16a and 17a of the adjacent side webs of the channel members. In the usual occurrence, the shank portion of the nail becomes slightly flattened on opposite sides thereof as it is driven between the upper portions 16a and 17a of the side webs of the channel members.

Because of this slight flattening or reduction in the width of the nail as it passes through the upper portion of the nailing slot 13, the lower or inner portion of the nailing slot, which is defined by the outer surfaces of the bottom portions 16b and 17b of the adjacent side webs, is made slightly narrower than the upper portion of the nailing slot. This differential in width between the upper or outer area of the nailing slot and the lower or inner area thereof is illustrated diagrammatically in FIGURE 4 by the dimension arrows X and X. Thus, assuming that the dimension X equals the distance between the outer surfaces of the opposed web portions 16a and 17a, which distance is slightly less than the normal diameter of the shank of the nail N, say by 0.010 inch, than the dimension X, for example, would be X 0.005 inch. Accordingly, When a nail of standardized dimension is driven fully into the nailing slot, it will be subject to interference fits in two distinct and relatively spaced regions defined by the upper region 16a and 17a and the lower regions 16b and 17b, respectively, of the opposing side webs of the adjacent channel members.

Following the welding of the requisite member of channel members 10 to the beams 11, the nailing slots 13 are filled with a suitable plastic or mastic filler material, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. The filler material may comprise a permanently pliable mastic substance commonly used in this particular art, or may be composed of an expansible synthetic resin which may be expanded or foamed Within the nailing slots, so as to completely fill the slots to a level substantially flush with the outer panels 15 of the channel members. The relatively enlarged, cylindrical passages 22 formed in the intermediate portions of the nailing slots greatly facilitates this filling operation. In this regard, it will be noted that the elongated discharge nozzle or tube T of a suitable injec- As shown in FIGURE 4, the width dimensions of the I nailing slots 13 are correlated to the diameter of a standard size spike or nail N of the type ordinarily used in the blocking or anchoring of freight or cargo in railway freight cars. These nails are of conventional size and form and comprise an elongated, cylindrical body or shank N1, a driving head N2 formed at one end of the body and a tapered, sharpened point N3 formed at the opposite end. The nail N is ordinarily of a length to extend substantially the full depth of the nailing slots 13 when fully driven through the shoring or blocking which it is intended to secure to the floor structure. By forming the nailing slot with a width which is slightly less than the diameter of the nail N, an interference fit is provided which will frictionally grip and retain the nail when it is forcibly driven into the slot 13. Assuming that the spacing between opposed web portions 16a and 17a adjacent the surface-forming panels 15 is of a lineal dimension X, as indicated in FIGURE 4, and which is slightly less than tion device D may be readily inserted axially in the passage 22 for rapid discharge of filler material into the nailing slot. Such a device is diagrammatically illustrated in FIGURE 1 and may, for example, comprise a powerdriven extnlder or injection device D connected to the inlet end of the tube T. The specifics of the construction of this device do not form a part of this invention and are not further described other than indicating connection of the device to a supply conduit C for the filler material and a drive motor M for effecting forcible discharge of the filler material from the tube T.

In view of the foregoing, it will seem that the present invention provides an improved, nailable, metallic floor or wall-forming structure for freight-transporting vehicles, such as railway cars or motor trucks, which structures are characterized by their economy of manufacture and assembly, and by improved, frictional nail retention qualities achieved without detrimental bending or clinching of nails.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles of this invention have been explained and have been illustrated and described in what is now considered to represent the best known embodiment thereof. However, it is to be understood that, Within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described herein. Having thus described this invention, what is claimed 1s:

1. In a nailable, metallic surface-forming structure; a plurality of elongated, relatively shallow, metal channel members arranged in side by side, parallel relationship and defining therebetween a plurality of nail-receiving slots, each of said channel members being of integral, one-piece construction and comprising an elongated, generally rectangular, outer surface-forming panel formed along the opposite sides thereof with a pair of longitudinally coextensive side webs, said side webs being disposed in approximately perpendicular relation to said outer panel and terminating in inwardly turned anchoring flanges disposed in substantially parallel relation to said panel, each of said side Webs being formed with a pair of relatively spaced apart, longitudinally extending nail-engaging surfaces separated by an intermediate, longitudinally extending, inwardly concave recess, and the side webs adjacent of said channel members being arranged to define between them an elongated, substantially straight nailing slot having an intermediate, relatively enlarged, tubular passage extending longitudinally between the adjacent channel members, the intermediate, tubular References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,189,820 2/1940 Swenson 52-364 2,275,037 3/1942 Watter 52-578 2,686,578 8/1954 Edge et al. 52-364 2,907,417 10/1959 Doerr 52-377 3,152,669 10/1964 Johnston 52-364 ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 52-364; 105-422 

